John Hamilton: Collected Lyrics
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Public-domain lyrics

Go to Berwick, Johnnie

John Hamilton

“Go to Berwick, Johnnie” as printed in The Book of Scottish Song (1843).

John Hamilton: Collected Lyrics Text 1 1843 · historical text
Public domainScottish songFolk
Complete public-domain lyrics

This text comes from The Book of Scottish Song, edited by Alexander Whitelaw, a historical songbook transcribed on Wikisource and reproduced from the pinned revision linked below.

Verse 1

Go, go, go,

Go to Berwick, Johnnie;

Thou shalt have the horse,

And I shall have the poney.

Verse 2

Go to Berwick, Johnnie;

Bring her frae the Border;

Yon sweet bonnie lassie,

Let her ga'e nae farther.

English loons will twine ye

O' the lovely treasure;

But we'll let them ken,

A sword wi' them we'll measure.

Go to Berwick, Johnnie,

And regain your honour;

Drive them ower the Tweed,

And show our Scottish banner.

I am Rob the king,

And ye are Jock, my brither;

But, before we lose her,

We'll a' there thegither.

Credits

Written by John Hamilton

Words by John Hamilton (died 1814). Historical text published in The Book of Scottish Song (1843); public domain. No claim to a modern recording or arrangement.

Source & text edition

The Book of Scottish Song (1843), edited by Alexander Whitelaw, “Go to Berwick, Johnnie”

Every contribution in this 1843 anthology predates modern copyright terms by more than a century; any contributor died at least 130 years ago, so the text is in the public domain worldwide (life+70 terms expired no later than 2020). The credited author died in 1814.

How to read this historical text and its source

Read the source on Wikisource

View copyright evidence · Transcription terms (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Retrieved 2026-10-12. Line spacing and section labels are adapted for reading. The displayed text follows the linked edition. Editorial notes and abstract artwork are by 52lyrics.
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